The Brisbane Road outfit fought back from a goal down to hold the soon-to-be champions at Moss Rose live on the BT Sport cameras

Justin Edinburgh has challenged his Leyton Orient team to replicate Macclesfield Town’s consistency next season in the National League.

A Josh Koroma goal in the 42nd minute at Moss Rose earned the O’s a 1-1 draw away to the champions-elect.

John Askey’s Macclesfield are on course to win the title and lead nearest challenger Tranmere Rovers by 10 points, although Rovers do have two games in hand.

Nevertheless, Orient could be proud of their efforts on Saturday, live on the BT Sport cameras, as Koroma’s strike cancelled out Danny Whitaker’s 16th minute goal.

“We have spoken about momentum as a group and it is key for us to take momentum into next season,” Edinburgh told National League’s website, after O’s extended their unbeaten run to five games.

“We have a big year ahead of us and we need to be up for these types of games week in, week out like Macclesfield have been.

“We need to be in and around the promotion places next season and that’s what we are going to try and do.”

After Whitaker had opened the scoring, Orient settled into the contest and could have levelled before Koroma’s equaliser.

Eventually they did beat ex-O’s loanee Shwan Jalal, as Macclesfield failed to clear a corner kick and Koroma rifled home through a crowd of bodies.

Edinburgh added: “I thought the goal put Macclesfield on the back foot. I could see the disappointment on their faces at conceding in the time they did and we picked up on that and took the game too them in the second half.

“I can’t recall our goalkeeper (Dean Brill) making a save in the second half, so I was pleased with the manner of our performance.”

Orient almost claimed all three points at the death when substitute David Mooney and Macauley Bonne combined well.

Although Keith Lowe blocked Bonne’s initial effort, the forward latched onto the rebound and knocked it past Jalal and Mooney let fly from seven-yards, but David Fitzpatrick chucked himself in front of the shot and deflected it wide.

It meant the O’s had to settle for a point, which takes them onto 54 for the campaign with four games to go.

“I thought the point was thoroughly deserved and but for a miraculous clearance at the end, we would have gone away with all three points,” said Edinburgh.

“We have given a very good account of ourselves against the potential winners of this league and credit to the players because they haven’t taken their foot off the pedal and they’ve continued our form with another good performance.”